‘Look out. Here he comes again,’ shouted Alfie the elf, running for his life. Behind him, trampling everything in its path, stomped a huge green dragon, its wings sticking out at odd angles.

Norg, the ferocious Dragon was a menace. He simply loved creating trouble. He often went rampaging through Spook Wood, breathing fire for fun. Indeed, had it not been for the faery spells protecting Spook Wood, Norg would have reduced the whole forest to ashes.

One morning, while Norg lay snoring in his enormous cave, the fairy folk of Spook Wood called a meeting.

‘We have to do something about him,’ said Twinkle-Toes the Pixie. ‘Yesterday, he set my prize-winning rose bush on fire.’

‘Can we not punish him?’ said bunny Hop-a-Lot.

‘How?’ said Twinkle-Toes, frustrated. ‘Dragons are powerful magical beasts. Get everyone together and shoot a spell at him. I doubt you will give him so much as a nosebleed.’

‘I know,’ came a quiet voice. Everyone looked around to see who had spoken. At first no one was visible. Then Bunny Hop-a-Lot pointed a paw to where Silky, the tiniest faery in Spook Wood, bobbed up and down in mid-air.

‘Norg’s magical powers are weakest when he is asleep. Can’t we cast a spell to make him dream he is drinking water?’ said Silky, quietly.

Everyone stared at her. This was such a simple solution. Whyever had they not thought of it before?

You see, Dragons powerful as they are, do not have much brains. They cannot distinguish between dreams and reality. A Dragon, dreaming of drinking water is sure to gulp some unknowingly. Water would put out the fire in Norg’s stomach and he would become powerless to create trouble for the faery folk. It was a GRAND IDEA!!

‘Let’s do this tonight,’ said Twinkle-Toes jumping up in excitement.

That night, Silky and Alfie crept over to where Norg lay snoring. Together they cast the spell of dreams.

Norg snorted and rolled over. For a minute, nothing happened. Then slowly, as if he were a puppet on strings, Norg got up and trundled off. Silky and Alfie followed.

‘It’s the lake,’ pointed Alfie.

Ahead, Norg bent and scooped up some water in his snout. He stood frozen for a minute, then with a howl of pain fell over. Straight into the lake.